A top to bottom renovation of a 1939 bungalow in Bethesda, MD totally transformed a dark and dated house into an open, bright and welcoming home. The old basement was a warren of oddly placed and shaped rooms with low bulkheads throughout that resulted in awkward, claustrophobic spaces. We completely gutted and reimagined the layout, relocating the laundry room (formerly just a closet off the family room), expanding the bathroom, removing a stair wall, replacing windows and resizing/raising the ductwork to make the space feel open and inviting. Removing the old laundry closet created the perfect spot for an art nook, a great place for budding artists to create and display their art projects. The custom under-stair storage cubbies can be used to stow away kids’ toys, extra linens, and other odds and ends. Replacing the solid stair wall with an open wood slat wall provides sightlines while the natural wood gives a nod to the light oak floors above.

As part of a complete remodel on this McKinney Avenue high rise condo, Edict designed a complete kitchen remodel. The cabinetry is 100% custom designed, no off the shelf or RTA cabinetry here. Made from rift cut white oak, the lighter cabinets have a clear coat natural finish and the darker cabinets are stained in an ebony finish giving a great sense of contrast and interest to this kitchen. The kitchen is packed with high end appliances including a Miele built in coffee machine, a wine fridge, Miele integrated hood and Miele gas cooktop as well as a deep single stainless steel sink, an integrated trash compactor and new integrated SubZero refrigerator. The kitchen's lighting has cable lighting for the main source of light which pulls in the industrial feel of the loft's exposed beams and ductwork, a new custom lightbox suspended above the new island with integrated LED cans and 3 pendants to light it. Also, above the ceiling panel, above the cabinets, under the cabinets and the toe kicks all have integrated LED lighting - all lighting is dimmable giving the most diverse options for a lighting solution. All of the cabinetry doors and drawers have Blum hardware and most are without handles for the most seamless look possible. Instead, one presses the drawers and cabinets and they pop open and close with soft close drawers. There is abundant deep drawer storage for easier access in the new island as well as under the cooktop and sink. The countertops are Quartz. Donovan Lord: Designer Michael Hunter: Photographer

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was. The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior. This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters. A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home. The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout. The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace. The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit. Photographer: Public 311 Design

Tahvory Bunting
Mid-sized trendy loft-style light wood floor living room photo in Denver with gray walls and no fireplace

sam oberter
Example of an urban bedroom design in Philadelphia

This kitchen had a haggard old look that the homeowners were eager to replace. Dark builder grade oak cabinetry, laminated countertops and heavy bulkheads were just a few of the old kitchen flaws. A multi-angle island with dysfunctional electric cook top made this kitchen difficult to work in and to get around. Gourmet cooking and entertaining were two of the homeowners’ favorite pastimes. Making the space better for doing both became the goals of this remodeling project. A new, large center island is now the focal point of this kitchen. While it provides plenty of storage, it also offers plenty of seating and works great as a buffet area when entertaining. Rerouting the plumbing and ductwork eliminated the room’s bulkheads, allowing custom cabinets to be installed from floor to ceiling. The custom cabinets include lighted display cabinets on top for the homeowner’s prized pottery. Professional-grade appliances including a gas cooktop, double wall ovens, a built-in microwave, a steamer, a warming drawer and a large refrigerator/freezer are all built into the perimeter walls. Custom cabinet inserts hide the refrigerator/freezer doors. A custom range hood is in place over the cooktop. Contrasting exotic granite countertops and unique lighting fixtures bring the space to life. Milled wide plank hardwood floors complete the décor.

The clients were looking to transform their master bathroom into a space that didn't feel like it was in a basement. Our solution was to slightly tweak the floor plan, open up the shower, add some additional lighting, and relocate some ductwork.

Lisited by Brulé & Fisher, RE/MAX Trends.
Open concept kitchen - large southwestern l-shaped concrete floor open concept kitchen idea in Phoenix with a farmhouse sink, glass-front cabinets, white cabinets, soapstone countertops, gray backsplash, ceramic backsplash, stainless steel appliances and two islands

This townhouse main floor was updated by removing the wall between the dining room and galley kitchen, and pushing out the kitchen back wall, creating an open-concept space with an island, recessed refrigerator, and pantry. The innovative ceiling soffit adds a stunning design feature while hiding awkwardly placed ductwork that is common in many Fairlington kitchens Paint (walls): Rustic Adobe by Sherwin Williams Cabinets: Decora Countertops: Silestone “Quasar” (Galactic Series) Backsplash tile: 1x2 Café Glass Subway Mosaic (46SPECAF12S) Dining room and pendant light fixtures: Kichler “Denman”

When we first stepped into this contemporary loft, we felt the energy of the space – and of the homeowners. They loves to cook, entertain, and unwind together. Right away, we knew our design direction had to feel moody, upscale, and a little industrial – but warm and grounded too. We took inspiration from the exposed beams and ductwork, letting those architectural elements guide our material palette and layout.

Modern Minimalism Meets Everyday Life in Lancaster Project Overview Challenge: With three children, two cats, and frequent visits from friends and extended family, the homeowners needed a kitchen that could keep up with their active household. As certified foster parents, [LINK TO THIS MONTH’S BLOG POST] they also required secure, lockable storage for knives, alcohol, and cleaning supplies. While functional, the existing kitchen felt dated and lacked efficiency. Their vision: clean countertops, hidden appliances, and durable finishes with timeless appeal. Design: Lenton Company created a tailored plan that honored the family’s budget and priorities. The U-shaped layout was preserved, but the stove was moved to the opposite wall to improve flow for two active cooks. Dark green shaker-style base cabinets were paired with white uppers and quartz countertops, delivering a high-contrast, classic look. Water resistant, wood-tone flooring was installed throughout the kitchen and main living areas for durability and cohesion. The drop ceiling remained due to ductwork but was refinished for a fresh appearance. Build: Construction began with a full demo and was carefully sectioned off to maintain a safe environment. The remodel included all-new appliances, lighting, cabinetry, and finishes. Thoughtful features like soft-close drawers, oversized pull-out trash and recycling, locking storage, a hidden microwave, and dedicated space for a toaster oven contributed to a clutter-free and functional kitchen. Under-cabinet lighting, overhead fixtures, and a half lazy Susan further enhanced efficiency and usability. Reveal: In the words of our homeowners, “Working with Lenton Company made the process feel seamless and turnkey. Having the designer, project manager, and build team all under one roof was a huge advantage. Our designer really listened to our needs and design preferences, offering thoughtful layout options and guiding us toward choices that fit our style and budget. The build team was efficient, professional, and kept everything on track—and tidy! After the renovation, we knew without a doubt we had made the right decision.”

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was. The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior. This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters. A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home. The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout. The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace. The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit. Photographer: Public 311 Design

These Woodbury clients came to Castle to transform their unfinished basement into a multi-functional living space.They wanted a cozy area with a fireplace, a ¾ bath, a workout room, and plenty of storage space. With kids in college that come home to visit, the basement also needed to act as a living / social space when they’re in town. Aesthetically, these clients requested tones and materials that blended with their house, while adding natural light and architectural interest to the space so it didn’t feel like a stark basement. This was achieved through natural stone materials for the fireplace, recessed niches for shelving accents and custom Castle craftsman-built floating wood shelves that match the mantel for a warm space. A common challenge in basement finishes, and no exception in this project, is to work around all of the ductwork, mechanicals and existing elements. Castle achieved this by creating a two-tiered soffit to hide ducts. This added architectural interest and transformed otherwise awkward spaces into useful and attractive storage nooks. We incorporated frosted glass to allow light into the space while hiding mechanicals, and opened up the stairway wall to make the space seem larger. Adding accent lighting along with allowing natural light in was key in this basement’s transformation. Whether it’s movie night or game day, this basement is the perfect space for this family! Designed by: Amanda Reinert

Eichler Orange is a stunning expression of mid-century modern architecture. The vision in modernizing this historic Eichler home with a 21st-century makeover was to honor the work of Joseph Eichler and restore it to the 1964 icon of California modernism it once was. The clean aesthetics of this home features glass walls, post and beam, tongue and groove ceilings, and oversize porcelain tile floors throughout. The free-flowing indoor/outdoor floorplan is highlighted with a signature atrium, and all material selections were made to honor the time period. Custom cherry cabinets and warm slab walnut doors grace the interior. This home had significant structural termite damage with three-quarters of the framing needing replacement. Additionally, the original house did not come close to meeting the current seismic codes. During reconstruction, we upgraded the post and beam structure with seismic hold-downs and concealed fasteners. The house lacked energy efficiency due to its flat roof and did not meet California’s current Title 24 energy-efficient standards. While honoring its era, this fully renovated residence is now updated with today’s energy efficiencies, including all-aluminum dual-glazed windows and doors, new spray foam insulation atop the flat roof, and tankless water heaters. A new photovoltaic solar system was added. We abandoned the radiant floor heat and installed a new high-efficiency ductless heating and air units to each room. This increased the building’s performance and provided each room with its own thermostat and control. This system also allowed us to eliminate soffits and ductwork and maintain the exposed tongue and groove ceiling throughout the home. The living space next to the family and dining room was repurposed to relocate the washer and dryer and allowed space to add a third bathroom. The primary bathroom was also reconfigured for a larger layout. The sleek kitchen design includes frameless Crystal Cabinets, professional-grade Miele appliances, a large stainless steel Sub-Zero refrigerator/freezer, and a generous Caesarstone countertop workspace. The outdoor backyard living space captures the natural beauty of Southern California and mid-century modern features, including drought-resistant landscaping with decomposed granite planter areas and all-new concrete hardscape. A new spa was added to the existing pool, along with a new BBQ area and firepit. Photographer: Public 311 Design

This living room connects to the kitchen and features a wide view of the lake from multiple picture windows. Additional features are a large fan and exposed ducting. The steps are real hardwood finished with a professionally installed stainless cable rail system. The front door is a modern shaker style door. Adjacent is the sliding door to enter the guest bathroom.

Wonderful opportunity to own an incredible home with Ocean Views from almost every room. The original owner completely renovated the house in 2001 to include cement plank exterior, roof, kitchen, and more. Follow the tabby walkway to the front entrance and when you step inside you will love the Brazilian Cherry floors and great views. The sunken formal living room is huge with vaulted ceiling, bookcases, ceiling fans, recessed lights, gas fireplace with granite surround, and French doors to the deck. The formal dining room is detailed with a double tray ceiling, recessed lights, plantation shutters, glass display shelves and across the hall is a large Butler's Pantry with cherry cabinets with glass display and French pocket doors. The gourmet kitchen is very spacious with skylights, a large island, bar sink, granite counters, tile backsplash, birch cabinets with molding and rope detail, double embedded sink, stainless appliances, ceiling fan, and is open to a breakfast area with ocean views. The family room features wood floors, bookcases, and ocean views. The downstairs master features a wood floors, ceiling fan, tile floors in the large bath, walk in shower, walk in closet, and oversize vanity. There is also a second master downstairs with deck access, wood floors, huge bathroom with dual vanity, walk in shower, and dual walk in closet. There is a third bedroom downstairs with carpet and a walk in closet. Upstairs is divided into wings. One wing offers two bedrooms with a hall bath. The other wing could easily be a mother in law suite as it is quite spacious with easy access to a bathroom and an artist studio with a small kitchenette. This home has amazing storage, an elevator, china closet, auto closet lights, 2x6 construction, new ductwork, and more.

Blending industrial character with cozy personal flair, this stylish home office is designed for focus and creativity. The exposed brick column, matte concrete flooring, and overhead ductwork lend a modern loft-like feel, while elements like the wooden "PEACE" sign, sculptural wall art, and a plush patterned armchair add warmth and individuality. Natural light filters through sleek plantation shutters, softening the room’s bold features. The sturdy workstation on caster wheels offers mobility and structure, paired with open shelving for organized storage and pops of color from curated books and accents. With its inviting textures, purposeful layout, and inspiring ambiance, this office nook strikes the perfect balance between productivity and comfort—ideal for remote work, creative brainstorming, or quiet reflection.

The potential of converting six laneway parking spaces at the back of the property into housing was apparent to architect Zuzanna Krykorka from the moment she laid eyes on the Parkdale, Toronto house her family ended up purchasing in 2018. Unique for a laneway house, the house has windows on all sides, bringing in lot of natural light while also interacting with the life of a city laneway. The "lit" house at night makes it obvious that this is an inhabited living space, occupants becoming part of the neighbourhood rather than tucked away in secret. The ground floor is a light-filled open-plan kitchen, dining and living room with views to the backyard framed by 3 massive 150 year old maple trees. Upstairs a spa-inspired bathroom with a large skylight surrounded by the tree canopy. Looking in either direction reveals that the central hall lines up with the north and south second-floor windows, again a nod to the house's laneway origins. Construction details follow passive house principles. The large window at the top of the stairs— again framing a view of the sky—is a feature called "the oculus." By night, the oculus glows warmly from the outside, while during the day it can be opened so as to function as a cooling shaft. Heating is provided by in-floor hydronic radiant on both floors powered by an electric boiler. A heat pump water heater does the domestic hot water. Meanwhile, dense-pack cellulose insulation retains this heat during the winter and minimizes the need for air-conditioning in the summer. But this system doesn't mean a stuffy interior: ventilation is enabled by Lunos "breathing wall" technology, a through-wall variable system that is coupled with a ceramic regenerative heat exchanger. Operating in pairs, these devices are installed directly through an exterior wall and provide continuous circulation without the need for duct-work, all of which has the added benefit of furthering the open, clean design aesthetic. The laneway house sits comfortably among the many garages of this Parkdale lane. With its steel roof, wood siding and dark robust exterior, it wears its Toronto garage vernacular proudly, an active part of the laneway urban environment. Project Details: Area: 1020 sf; 2 storey Height: 2 stories; 6m Rooms: 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, 1 powder room, open ground floor concept Mechanical: in floor hydronic heating both floors, electric boiler, separate domestic hot water heat pump water heater, 2 ductless mini split heat pump units upstairs Insulation: dense pack cellulose insulation, walls and ceiling, Roofing: corrugated metal roof Windows: triple pane high performance windows from Kastrup, Denmark

A large, low bulkhead ran through the old bathroom making it an awkward and uncomfortable space. By resizing and relocating the ductwork we created full height clearances and the enlarged bathroom is now more welcoming and functional for guests.